Title: Terms of Service

Author: Ciel Pierlot

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BLURB

Luzia N.E. Drainway never really thought too much about the Astrosi. They lurk above and below Bastion City – a giant multileveled megalopolis she calls her home – and they tend to keep to themselves. On the rare occasions they use their magics to meddle with human affairs, most people with an ounce of sense steer clear of whichever unfortunate soul happens to be their victim. Luzia is far too dedicated to repairing and maintaining the frequently-damaged Bastion to pay them much attention, and prefers to ignore the Astrosi just like everyone else.

That disregard gets blown out of the water when a rogue Astrosi and nefarious trickster named Carrion kidnaps her nephew and sells him to the Eoi, one of the Astrosi courts. 

With no other options to save her nephew, Luzia trades her life for his and finds herself in service to the Eoi. Unfortunately for her, Astrosi logic is acrobatic in ways even the most devious human mind can barely comprehend. It’s not until the deal is struck that she realizes she’s trapped in the most abstruse verbal contract imaginable. She is essentially conscripted into their ranks, and her devotion to her city becomes stretched to breaking point by her new masters’ orders. 

As she struggles under this weight, she begins to uncover the secrets of the Astrosi people – the internal battles for power between the two kingdoms, the never-ending conflict between them, the trickster Carrion who somehow bridges that gap, and the very nature of the Bastion itself.

I absolutely loved The Hunters Gambit so dived headfirst into this and I really enjoyed it – I do love a sci-fi/fantasy read!

We meet Luzia who is a world called Bastion but she is thrown into the world of the Astrosi when her nephew gets taken and Luzia swaps places with him.

It had:

~ A unique story
~ Fae
~ Small but of romance
~ Fabulous world building
~ Retribution vibes
~ Relatable characters
~ Twists!

I actually loved the world building so much that I would love to go and see it all with my own eyes!

I totally recommend this book! What are you waiting for, go get it!

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Sound like something you’d like?

Fairyloot Romantasy – September 2025

Moulded by Iron

Perfect for readers that love:
⚔️ Romance and Rebellion
🌸 Blindsiding Twists
🦋 Alchemical Magic

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

🖤 An EXCLUSIVE REDESIGNED COVER with artwork by @deajulia and design by @lydiablagden
🖤 A REVERSIBLE DUST JACKET featuring a colour variation of the trade cover
🖤 FULL COLOUR ARTWORK ON THE HARDCOVER with foil by @duckhymn
🖤 CHARACTER ARTWORK ON THE ENDPAPERS with foil by @carasalexandra (different front and back)
🖤 DIGITALLY SPRAYED EDGES on all three edges by @duckhymn
🖤 BONUS CONTENT: A bonus chapter and author letter with a digital signature bound into the book.

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BLURB

Brynn has spent the better part of her life waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta, the very same people who exiled the Alaha to live a life over the sea. A rite of passage for all young guards, she’s not sure what to expect from it, but breaking a century- long peace treaty certainly isn’t on her map.

Neither is the encounter with an enemy soldier.

Returning home to Alaha, she’s confronted with the aftermath of the day’s events. The future is uncertain as the threat of hunger looms over the people. With rumors of a growing rebellion, Brynn and her closest friends promise to stick together.

When an unexpected visitor arrives, Brynn’s loyalty will be tested as she learns of a world of magic and treachery. Once her enemy, always her enemy, right? But the dark, knowing eyes of a stranger make her question everything…

…including her heart.

Sound like something you’d like? I cant wait to read it!

Title: Cinder House

Author: Freya Marske

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BLURB

Ella is a haunting.

Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father’s house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.

Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.

Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.

You think you know Ella’s the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.

You’re halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.

Oh, this was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time!

Ella is deceased but comes back as a ghost, bonded/trapped in the house where she grew up….along with her stepmother and her 2 daughters…who can see Ella and aren’t the nicest of people!

Like in the tale of Cinderella, the Prince invites all unmarried ladies to his ball as he needs to choose a bride……

As I said above, I loved this story, it was a fabulous take on the old tale.  There was dancing, a lovely weird type of throuple, yearning, fairies, magic, sorcerers, and bargains!

The ending made my heart sing!

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Sound like something you’d like?

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Satisfying Book Series

I guess some of mine are more mainstream choices so a lot of people will have them! But this is a subject that I could’ve added so many to!!!

The Infernal Devices
The Shepherd King
Legends of Thezmarr
Throne of Glass
Ironside Academy

Crowns of Nyaxia
The Empyrean
Emily Wilde’s
The Extraordinaries
All for the Game

Have you read any of these?

September 2025
Theme = KNIGHTCORE!

A true knight can fight everything . . . except their feelings.

Items inspired by Legendborn, Gideon the Ninth, Song of the Lioness, and The Knight and the Moth.

💛 Excalibur Replica inspired by Legendborn with artwork by @staceymcevoy.caunt
💛 Lioness Rampant Cosmetic Bag – artwork by @vellumoth and inspired by Song of the Lioness
💛 Nine for the Tomb Bookmark Set featuring character from Gideon the Ninth – artwork by @ merwildandco
💛 Sixth Omen Bunting – artwork by @swanbones inspired by Knight and the Moth

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

The Second Death of Locke by VL Bovalino

✨ An exclusive redesigned cover (art by @teradiamart; design by @chattynora)
✨ Full colour art and foil on the hardback (art by @dominikmayerart; design by @chattynora)
✨ Digitally printed edges (by @chattynora)
✨ Illustrated endpapers (by @emmagilletteart); different front and back
✨ Bound-in author letter
✨ Bonus content
✨ Digitally signed by the author (on the author letter)

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BLURB

Love. Loyalty. Sacrifice.

Grey Flynn has dedicated her life to her mage, Kier.

She will be his blade on the battlefield, his healer and protector. The deep well of raw power inside her is Kier’s to use. Grey would do anything for Kier – be anything for him – if he would only ask.

When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into the dangerous heart of their nation’s war, Grey and Kier will need to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their secret.

For Grey is no ordinary magical well, but heir to the lost island of Locke – the root of all power. If she dies, all magic dies with her.

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

I hope you had a great week!

Back to work for me tomorrow!

This week, before I go back to the rush of work, I decided to get caught up on everything that was outstanding, I cleaned, cleared, I had a pedicure and my son had his last school pictures ever (sob)!!!

I’ve only finished one book this week but am halfway through an audiobook and also halfway through a reread of Throne of Glass!

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🎧 A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

See my review soon!

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Calendar – Hello October
Feature – Stacking the Shelves: September

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Review – Cinder House by Freya Marske
Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy: September

What have you read lately?

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. It is currently hosted by Reading Reality.

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Well…..I think I’ve been quite good!

Books I Bought

Silvercloak by LK Steven
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross
Metal Singer by Rachel Schneider


Advanced Reader Copies

Silver and Smoke by Helen Scheuerer

I’d better get reading!

 

Happy October! Have a great month!

“I wish that every day was Saturday and every month was October.”
― Charmaine J. Forde

“In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October.” – Alexander Smith

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Book Covers that Give off Fall Vibes

Mine seem to have a theme!

A Vow of Embers by Sariah Wilson
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J Tuli
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
After the Forest by Kell Woods
Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Destroy the Day by Brigid Kemmerer
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson
Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

Have you read any of these?